Series:
Hawaii CI (Book 1)
To catch a serial killer stalking paradise
they'll risk everything…
Few leads. No witnesses. Detective Logan Ryder is running
out of time to stop a serial killer from claiming a fourth woman on Hawaii's
Big Island. Grief counselor Elena Kekona puts her life on the line to help when
she discovers she resembles the victims. But Logan's reserve -- and Elena's
secrets -- could turn their instant attraction into a devastating endgame that
both might not survive…
This is a difficult book to review. I loved the Hawaiian
setting and thought the suspense was well done. But the romance was a little
too insta-love for me. The story opens as Logan, and fellow members of the
Hawaii PD go over two murders with disturbing similarities, leading them to
believe they have a serial killer on their hands. When the meeting is over, the
police chief informs Logan that he's made an appointment for Logan to meet with
a grief counselor. It has been three months since Logan's partner was killed
during a domestic violence call, and it is affecting Logan's work. He's not
thrilled with the idea, but he goes.
Elena enjoys her work as a grief counselor. Having lost
her husband unexpectedly three years earlier, it feels good to help others
through their grief. She lives alone in the house she shared with her husband,
though her younger brother lives in a smaller house on the property. Though she
hasn't given up on the idea of loving again, she hasn't been in any hurry to
start dating.
The development of the relationship between Logan and
Elena was incredibly fast. The sparks between them were evident when they met,
though they kept things professional during his two sessions with her. Once
that was over, they were free to see each other on a personal basis. It didn't
take long for Logan to make the first move, and they quickly moved to the stage
of being unable to keep their hands off each other. I didn't see much in getting
to know each other though deepening their relationship is on both minds. There
are a few bumps in their road, such as her brother coming under suspicion as
the killer and Logan's worry about Elena being able to handle his job. Logan is
concerned about her safety while the killer is on the loose, and he is right to
do so. But when everything is over, it's only a short time between when they
meet and the "I love you, will you marry me?" moment.
The suspense, on the other hand, was terrific. The serial
killer is careful to leave no clues behind, making it difficult for the police
to produce any leads. Their frustration was understandable as each task force
member applied their specialties to stopping the killer before they could
strike again. The intensity increased with each new murder, and I was glued to
the pages as I waited to see what would happen. The final confrontation was a
nail-biter as Elena fell into the killer's clutches just as the task force got
a break in the case. I never saw that angle coming. The ending was exciting,
and I loved seeing Elena's actions.
My biggest problem with the book is that some writing
felt very awkward. Some word choices felt odd, such as when Logan laughed
"generously" followed by Elena laughing "jovially." And
"exchanging tasty tongues" while kissing sounded ridiculous. There
were also a few occasions where I felt there were needlessly detailed
descriptions. Who cares that Elena's bedding was "a double-brushed
microfiber duvet" and a "sateen-cotton sheet"? Just pull back
the covers and be done with it!
I will still read the next book in the series.
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